Remember

We have been fighting some sort of illness around here. We were exposed to strep throat, #6 had dual ear infections, #3 brought home pink eye and allergy season is ramping up. #1 is fine (as usual, sheesh), #2 came home from the backpacking trip complaining of a sour throat, #3 is getting over pink eye, #4 is starting pink eye (or allergies, he isn't goopy so I am leaning towards allergies), #5 pink eye and runny nose, #6 is happy as a lark cause her antibiotics are working. DH didn't work at work today cause he is feeling crummy. BUT instead after his nap (and he was recharged) we worked on the garden plot. ALL THE BIG PIECES OF SOD HAVE BEEN MOVED.

ALL THE BIG PIECES OF SOD HAVE BEEN MOVED!!!!

(this is a big deal folks-we moved over a half acre of sod in a few weeks)

And since it was a family project it was not without its moments. I started the project because it looked like rain was coming. I knew I had to keep prodding the big boys at it because each time it rains the pieces of sod double in weight. DOUBLE is not an exaggeration. Last week the pieces of sod weighed close to 25 pounds each (how do I know? cause it is close in weight to a bag of rice from Sam's and I have hefted a few of those). After drying out for a few days, the pieces of sod had shrunk and they didn't weigh any more than 10 or 15 pounds. The thickness of the pieces also shrank. When originally cut they were about 4-5 inches thick. Today they were closer to 2 inches. So, since the work had literally evaporated I kept pushing everyone to keep going. I drove the tractor, DH started on loading with #1, 2 and 3, #4 and #5 were playing around and would start a sodball fight every now and then. #6 was napping (at first).

I just love watching my kids play outside. I especially love watching the older ones with #6. I watch them and think to myself, "Oh, you have to remember this. You have to mark this in your memory bank to remember how #6 just bolts across the back pasture to sit on a pile of sod with #4 to wait for her tractor ride back. You have to remember how she made you stop the tractor while driving to pick up her binky. You have to remember how #5 says her new jeans are Fawma Jeans and how cute her little tushy is in them. You have to remember how #4 leaps out of the moving tractor trailer and how he is so competitive with #2 to release the trailer so all the sod dumps out. You have to remember #6 cuddling with you on the tractor while the boys loaded the trailer. You have to remember how #1 shortened the swing chains so that the swing was 5 feet in the air and #4 was brave, brave to swing up there so high." I see the pictures of today in my mind--the green grass, the golden pastures with green underneath, the blue sky, the brown dirt and my kids sometimes rolling in it. The wind was blowing their hair all around, their cheeks were pink, #1 and 3 were not necessarily smiling but #4,5, and 6 were overjoyed with tractor rides over and over and over again. #2 was so amazing. He was helpful with his baby sister over and over again. Picking her up, putting her in the trailer, helping her through the fence panels, walking with her. I never had to ask him to help her-he just did it.

As a mom I have those moments all the time. I see the joy in family life. I try to take photographs. I try to write about our life. I want to remember it. I want to embrace this part of my life that moms of older children say goes too fast. I see joy so many times a day. I say to myself, "Take a picture in your mind. Remember. Remember. Remember."

Garden

This week the kitchen garden was finished. This is 3 raised bed gardens that are right off the deck. I planned that all the stuff we use for meals would come out of these beds. One of the beds is greenhoused and already has tomato and basil planted. One of the other beds has shallots. Doesn't that just sound like a good salad?

Tonight we finished planting the fruit trees.

We are pooped.

good night

Oh, how this man takes my breath away

isn't it just sexy? sigh

Somedays I am just astounded at the conversations I have

From #1: What's to eat?
From #2: I did my jobs. Can I play on the computer? What's to eat?
From #3: Moooooommmmm. I am starving! What can I eat?
From #4: Mom? Did you know that banana burps smell like bananas? Can I have ceweal?
From #5: Mom? do you wuv me? I wuv you. I wuv #4 too but he doesn't wuv me. Yah! Cereal!
From #6: BA! OUtside! Bvvrroooom, bvvrroom. (That is toddler-ese for I want to go outside and ride on the tractor while I eat my banana.)

Hear a 19 month old say Boom!

holding her brother's gun. Shooting #2 over and over again. He is playing dead. He is encouraging by saying, "Come on baby. You can do it!" She just body slammed him on the way up to give him a kiss.

Yep, I have a 19 month old girl that knows how to play guns and a 12 year old boy that is willing to play with her. (He just shot her and she is playing dead.)

You Know What I Hear?

measuring spoons clanking in the kitchen

macaroni being poured out of the box

I am still in the armchair with #6.

Ladies-teach those children to cook! It is a new kind of music to your ears.

To My Future Daughters-in-law: you are welcome

:)

102.5

My day is going to be spent cuddling #6. How is your day?

Holey Fazoley

Want an easy way to spend $400?

Go to Cabelas to buy boots for your Scouts.

Have #1 and #2 try on a stack of boots taller than yourself.

Buy rain gear.

Done.

Cha-Ching.

Now I have to figure out how to post from my cell phone camera-I took a picture of the stack of boot boxes.

It is turning out to be a crockpot morning

Everything is going slow. It is 9:18 and the Big One is still not out of bed. You know what that means? I have to buy new pants for him. Can I just start making him wear shorts early?

I made a gallon of yogurt the other day so it is a perpetual breakfast today. There is just something about yogurt and toast that puts #4 and #5 in breakfast heaven. Bowl after bowl is consumed by them.


So, breakfast isn't over, #1 is still asleep, the sun is shining in the front windows, #2 is reading his book curled up in the library chair, the chickens are cheeping, #6 has already stuck the iPod in her jammies and climbed into my lap to play anatomy games. In the background I hear, "I suppose the life of an anorexic duck doesn't amount to much, but it's all I've got."

Definite crockpot morning.

Very.slow.starting.

The Sun is Shining, The Breeze is Blowing, The Sky is Blue

We had the Jensen's and the Ellison's over today. What a perfect day. #1 and I made pizza swirls (a quadruple batch). They played on the trampoline, with the chicks, ran around all the fields, rode bikes, got muddy (several times) all while the mamas yakked and yakked.

No one hurt, no one crying, all fed, friendships continuing to be built.

It was a great afternoon.

She Can Be So Sweet

#6 has been using me as a jungle gym for a while now. It is just the age and all of the children have done it. I grit my teeth knowing it will be over soon. She just climbed up on me, patted my cheeks with her chubby little hands that still have knuckle dimples and gave me a slobby, wet kiss.

It was worth her toes digging into my feet.

The Newest Additions

4 guinea fowl.

The chicks are huge compared to these newly hatched babies.

Easter

This is a short video that is done by a church leader. Today I was asked if we, as Mormons, do Easter.

Yes! Unequivocally. We believe in Christ. We believe in His Resurrection.



We Do Easter.

The Sun is Shinin'

and we are moving sod today.

Garden

I repotted tomatoes, broccoli and tomatoes yesterday. I started another 3 flat of tomatoes-so there is over a 100 plants started. The snow has killed the plans for the peas getting in. Today the boys will have to make more newspaper pots for me to finish repotting the broccoli. I have to start the peppers and look at the plans I made so I can actually remember what I am supposed to be doing.

Tomorrow I am teaching a bread baking class. I will be busy until Friday. I am just praying that we can still get the sod up on Saturday. It takes about 2 hours to clear one row of sod in the big garden. There are a lot of rows. The big boys and I are getting into a system that works fairly well. It will go faster next time we get to work on it.

The Chickens Are Here!

If you noticed

I have been reading The Twiglight series. I needed some fluff after Constantine's Sword. I might need more than just 4 books of fluff. I read tons of non-fiction. But between previewing books for the big boys and homeschool I tried Constantine's Sword and it was just depressing. I gave up after a while. I guess it would be interesting if you were incredibly fascinated with the relations between Catholicism and Judiasm.

not me

Thwarted

it is snowing, it will be snowing until 9 pm

no moving sod today or probably tomorrow

Ah, a 5 year old boy

"Mom? Can I come cuddle in your bed?"

"Sure, come on it." I pull the blankets back and he climbs in.

After cuddles and talking I say, "Bedtime." He sits up, looks at me and says, "Hugs and Kisses and Boops." Boops are touching the other persons nose (normally but it can be anywhere)-it is a way to say I love you.

So, I move to kiss him. He looks at me with those big brown eyes and says, "NO. You don't move. I am doing the kissing tonight."

and he planted one on me and scurried off to bed.

I was tagged

http://bloggingwithjenb.blogspot.com/2009/04/letter-c-tagged.html

10 Things I Like That Begin with the Letter D

Doughnuts-Long Johns with custard filling, no Krispy Kreme, thank you very much
Daffodils
Dacquaris-strawberry, virgin
DH
Daughters
Dun dun-the noise at the beginning of Battlestar Galatica episodes
Dishwasher-a miracle machine
Dates, both with DH and girlfriends
Decisions, I like action, not hemming and hawing
Dancing

So, I guess it would be a really great date if my DH decided to bring me and the daughter doughnuts and daffodils. Then we would put them to bed, make some dacquaris, watch Dun dun (Battlestar Galactica) after loading the dishwasher and dancing around the kitchen.

sorry, feeling punchy

What is going on today

#2 made a solar cooker yesterday. Today he is using the Fresnel lense marshmallow roaster he made last year and testing out the solar cooker.

He has a very attentive audience, especially since it involves roasted marshmallows.

pictures coming